The Certificate in Horticulture (plant protection) is a vocationally oriented and accredited course comprising both studies in both general horticulture and in plant protection. It gives you the knowledge to diagnose and treat any problems that occur in the protection of plants.
Certificate in Horticulture involves the areas of work:
- CORE STUDIES - involves at least 350 hours, divided into 15 lessons, approx. half of the course.
- STREAM STUDIES - a further 350 hrs of study specifically relating to plant protection
Stream Plant protection consists of
- Diagnosing Problems
- Pest & Disease Problems
- Nutrient & Environmental Problems
- Pest Collection
- Natural vs Chemical Controls
- Integrated Pest Management
- Application Equipment
- Pesticide Grouping
- Chemical Terminology
- Pesticide Timing
- Pesticide Dynamics
- Controlling Pests
- Controlling Diseases
- Controlling Pests & Diseases In Nurseries
- Controlling Other Factors
This is an example of some course notes:
PLANT VIRUSES: THEIR DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS
Viruses are small microscopic organisms which live inside the bodies of other organisms. They are parasites and can have a wide variety of different effects on the organism they infect.
One of the most common symptoms in plants is a change of colour in leaves/and or flowers. Infected leaves frequently show light green or yellow patches (ie. a variegated effect) due to interruption of chlorophyll production...hence photosynthesis is reduced. This type of infection can cause reduction of crop yield or quality, or a general stunting of the plant.
One of the most severe effects of virus would be death, although this is not common (virus can only live in a host organism while the host is alive; if the host dies, the virus dies and hence eliminates itself). Growth patterns can be disturbed and changed by virus. In some cases stunting (mild or severe) will be the only obvious effect. In other cases, virus can cause distortion in the growth (ie. twisting, blistering or other distorted formations in leaves, stems, roots or flowers). In extreme cases, leaves can be reduced to a central midrib (ie. no leaf blade at all).
Flowering and seed production can be stopped completely by a virus. Virus can also induce leaf rolling, leaf yellowing, plant wilting, and changes to the physiological processes in the plant so that some functions of a cell's metabolism cease completely.
One or several of these symptoms might occur. Plants which are very commonly affected by serious virus problems include: gladioli, carnations, chrysanthemums, strawberry, passionfruit, daphne and tulip. There are others, but you should watch these in particular.
DETECTION
There are many ways of detecting virus. Some are outlined below:
- One of the earliest widely used techniques is by examination and
comparing symptoms produced by viruses in their host plants. This
includes symptoms both on the original host and on a range of selected
indicator hosts. A range of plants may be grown specifically for this
purpose (to be infected with a suspected virus and observed). Usually
symptoms can be seen about 2 weeks after inoculation. - The use of an Electron Microscope has enabled viruses to be actually
seen. Using this technique viruses fall into groups based on size and
shape...infected plants can be checked very quickly this way. Depending
on the size and shape of viruses seen, some idea of the identity can be
obtained...further checks can be made using other techniques.
CONTROL
Viruses are not as easy to control as most other diseases. Once a plant cell is infected with a virus, the only way to eradicate the virus is by killing that plant cell. In the case of virus, generally speaking, prevention is the only cure.
- If a plant is infected with virus..remove and burn the plant.
- Make sure (when dealing with plants which are very susceptible to
virus) that you always start out with "clean stock". - Control insects (aphis in particular)...virus are carried from one
plant to another by insects (among other things). Fungi and nematodes
have also been known to spread virus. - Use plant varieties which are more tolerant to virus (if you have a
choice).
